The present invention relates generally to information stored on computer systems and more particularly to a system and method for automating dependent entity actions in response to information change.
Typically information is displayed by a computer system in various forms. Information is displayed on screens using software programs in a variety of applications, from word processing to spread sheets. Often times this information needs to be edited as they are revised. Many times these edits are minor edits that go to specific terms. Oftentimes, though, there are certain areas of high impact that when changed, impacts other dependent entities. For example, a title of a book might be considered a high impact area and that every time that title is edited or changed, then that change affects entities such as other areas of that book or other information sources. Many times, there are macros associated with information or with a program that allows for an area of high impact to be changed consistently throughout the document. Once again, to use the book title as an example, assuming the author has decided to change or revise the title of the book in his particular document, and that book title is used in various places throughout that document, a macro could be utilized, for example, to effectuate a change by making the one change on an initial occurrence of that term but then causing the remaining occurrences to be changed to that new title.
However, those types of macros do not address the type of problem associated with information which may be either related to other information within the computer system, i.e., several other books that reference or articles that reference that particular book or book title, as well as information that is outside the computer system, such as on a network or via the Internet, that might be affected or might want to know about that change in the particular information. What is also not addressed by macros is the ability of the entity dependent on the information change to indicate the action to be taken.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method that allows for actions to be invoked on behalf of dependent entities in response to changes made in an information source. The actions invoked can be within or outside of the particular system where the changed information resides. The system should be easy to implement in existing computing systems. It should be cost effective, and it should not add undue complexity to such a system. The present invention addresses such a need.
A method and system in accordance with the present invention provides for invoking actions when changes are made in one information source on behalf of dependent information sources or systems. The method and system comprises identifying at least one area of high impact in the information source, identifying the action to be taken when the information changes, monitoring the at least one high impact area for at least one change, and then invoking the action responsive to the at least one change to the high impact area.
In so doing, changes made to one information source can immediately cause actions to be invoked on behalf of dependent information sources or other systems. The actions invoked can be as simple as sending a notification of the changed information, or it can be as complicated as invoking a callback procedure that is defined by the dependent information source that identified the high impact area. Accordingly, through a system and method in accordance with the present invention, an environment is provided which allows for changes to quickly, accurately and automatically be reacted to for dependent information systems and users.